He tricked the female lead into becoming his boyfriend, but then went on to criticize the male lead.

"Every night I dream of you, in my dreams we are still the same as when we were young and together."

"Alan, you don't blame me for not becoming a ghost to accompany you."

"Haven't you missed me even a little bit all these years, Alan...?"

The man's cries, filled with deep emotion, continued unabated. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, and he looked both disheveled and deeply affectionate.

Sang Jiuning couldn't bear to watch her father wailing like this any longer, so she quickly interrupted the sad and comical scene: "Dad, wake up! It's broad daylight, where would ghosts come from? Don't think such nonsense!"

"Sang Tingyan, you're getting more and more confused as you get older! Let go of me right now!" Fu Xulan frowned slightly, her tone tinged with anger, and then lightly lifted her foot and kicked his shin hard.

A sharp, visceral pain shot through Sang Tingyan's body, instantly clearing most of his muddled thoughts. Yet, he still couldn't bear to release the person in his arms, staring blankly down at Fu Xulan, whose face was clear and whose breath was warm. His eyes were filled with disbelief, and his voice trembled: "Alan...you...you're still alive?"

"What? In your heart, I should have died long ago and become a ghost to please you?" Fu Xulan broke free from his embrace, her brows and eyes filled with resentment that had been building up for many years.

Sang Tingyan finally came to his senses, hurriedly wiping away the tears on his face. He was flustered and overjoyed, repeatedly confirming that the person in front of him was his living lover. He was so excited that he couldn't speak coherently: "It's good that you're alive, it's so good that you're alive, Alan, I'm so happy."

"Dad, this is the huge surprise I specially prepared for you. Don't just stand there, quickly invite Mom in and sit down so we can talk in detail," Sang Jiuning reminded him at the right moment.

At this moment, Sang Tingyan's heart and eyes were filled with Fu Xulan, and he couldn't care about anything else. His demeanor and behavior were like that of a young man in the throes of first love. He carefully reached out and gently took Fu Xulan's wrist, and eagerly led her into the house. He couldn't help but look back after each step, as if afraid that the person he had been longing for for so many years would disappear into thin air in the next second.

The group entered the spacious and simple living room. Fu Xulan calmly sat down on the sofa, her posture dignified and her temperament aloof.

Sang Tingyan busied himself, quickly bringing over sweet tea and carefully arranging fresh fruit on the table. After finishing everything, he sat down close to Fu Xulan, gazing at her intently, his eyes filled with the preciousness and love of something lost and found again, unwilling to look away for even a moment.

After a moment of silence, the grievances and resentments that had been building up for years finally surged into her heart. Fu Xulan spoke first, her tone carrying a faint chill and dissatisfaction: "Sang Tingyan, in the end you are just a heartless and ungrateful scumbag. It was you who cruelly abandoned me back then."

These accusations struck a chord with Sang Tingyan, who immediately retorted, his expression filled with anxiety and grievance, fearing that his lover had misunderstood him for so many years: "Alan, I have never abandoned you. We made a promise back then that once I got the 500,000 from your brother, we would go to a distant land together and live a peaceful life."

"But when I finally got the money and rushed back to find you with great joy, I heard the devastating news of your unexpected death. I was heartbroken and had no intention of abandoning you. Everything I said is the truth!"

Fu Xulan, still harboring resentment, turned her head slightly and said firmly, "How can you prove it without any evidence? In my memory, after you received the money, you never came to see me again. You deliberately broke your promise."

Standing quietly to the side, listening to the two arguing, Sang Jiuning instantly understood the whole story and realized the truth in her heart.

It turns out that back then, the two parents conspired to cheat their uncle out of money, causing so many years of misunderstandings and life-or-death situations. The root of all the conflicts and entanglements lies in whether the father actually went back to find the mother as promised.

Sang Tingyan realized that his daughter knew about the past and didn't want her to hear all about his foolish youth. He immediately turned to Sang Jiuning and said in a gentle tone with a hint of suggestion, "Ningning, go upstairs to your room and rest for a while. Your mother and I will talk about the past alone."

Sang Jiuning obediently responded and slowly walked up the stairs in her comfortable slippers.

Watching the girl obediently go upstairs, Sang Tingyan's heart was slightly relieved. But the next second, the half head peeking out from the corner of the stairs and the little hair sticking out betrayed the little girl's little thoughts.

Sang Jiuning held her breath, pressed her body tightly against the cold wall, and secretly glanced down at the living room with her bright almond eyes. Her ears were perked up, her heart filled with curiosity to eavesdrop on her parents' past grievances.

She secretly thought to herself: It's rare to witness my parents clearing up their misunderstandings after so many years. This is such a wonderful "drama of the year," I would be missing a second if I missed it!

Just as she was engrossed in listening, Sang Tingyan's soft cough, tinged with a hint of helplessness, came from downstairs. His voice was clear: "Ningning, why are you being disobedient?"

Caught red-handed, Sang Jiuning froze, instantly frozen in embarrassment.

She pursed her pink lips, silently complaining to herself: Dad is too perceptive; he won't let me hear a single whisper.

Although she was unwilling, she didn't dare disobey her father, so she could only obediently turn her head back, run back to her bedroom in a few steps, gently close the door, and completely give up the idea of ​​eavesdropping.

In the living room downstairs.

Only after confirming that there was absolutely no more movement on the second floor and no one was spying on them did Sang Tingyan feel completely at ease.

He slowly moved closer to Fu Xulan beside him, and years of forbearance, longing and grievances welled up in his eyes. The panic he had just lost his composure with was gone, leaving only a cautious and devout expression.

He raised his hand and slowly took off the mechanical watch on his wrist, which he had worn for nearly twenty years and whose edges were worn and faded.

This watch accompanied him through countless days and nights of missing her; it was his only solace all these years.

Sang Tingyan gently stroked the watch face with his well-defined fingers, looked up at Fu Xulan, his voice hoarse and choked with sobs, concealing years of bitterness: "Alan, the first second I received the money, besides sending it to my brother to pay for his hospital bills, I didn't even think about running away and enjoying a carefree life. All I could think about was finding you as soon as possible and fulfilling our promise."

He slightly raised his hand, rolled up his loose sleeve, revealing several deep and shallow scars on the inside of his forearm, long faded but still clearly visible, the uneven lines concealing extreme despair.

"But when I got there, your brother stopped me and only let me see a newly erected grave from afar. Everyone told me that you were gone."

"I couldn't accept this outcome. I slashed my wrists at your grave once, but a passerby saved me. After returning home, I couldn't sleep at night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw your face. I couldn't bear it anymore and slashed my wrists twice more. Each time, I thought I might as well go with you."